Edison and Ford Winter Estates Receives Wildflower Grant

July 22, 2021

Edison and Ford Winter Estates Receives Wildflower Grant

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 22, 2021) — Edison and Ford Winter Estates was selected as a recipient for a Viva Florida Landscape Demonstration Garden grant from the Florida Wildflower Foundation. The Estates received $1,000 and was one of 11 sites

The ground is being solarized in preparation for the new wildflower garden around the apiary at Edison and Ford Winter Estates.

awarded funds this year. The grant money will go toward expenses for designing and installing a new Florida native wildflower garden that will surround the site’s apiary.

Goldenaster (Chrysopsis sp.), Yellowtops (Flaveria linearis) and Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea) are among the native wildflowers that will be planted to provide nectar and pollen for the Honey Bees and other pollinators. Future garden talks, children’s programming and interpretive signs will provide opportunities for visitors to learn about the benefits of utilizing native plants.

Viva Florida Landscape Demonstration grants provide funds to parks, nature centers and other public places, where Florida native wildflowers and other native plants will be showcased. The Florida Wildflower Foundation works to protect and expand native habitats through education and conservation. The Foundation educates the public about the role native wildflowers serve in providing wildlife habitat, supporting pollinators, and decreasing air and water pollution.

“We are excited to add the native wildflowers to our gardens and look forward to teaching children and adults about the importance of planting natives,” said Debbie Hughes, Horticulture Director at Edison and Ford Winter Estates. “We can show people how to plant wildflowers in their own yards to help pollinators and other wildlife.”

The first step in creating the wildflower garden is removing the grass and invasive weeds that exist in the location. Plastic has been spread on the ground to solarize the soil, which will kill the existing weed seedbank. Once the ground has been solarized, the plastic will be removed and then the new plants will be installed. The wildflowers will reseed in the garden and gradually completely fill in the space.

Edison Ford offers garden talks and gardening classes throughout the year, as well as plant sales and festivals, where local residents can purchase plants for their own gardens. The Estates’ garden center, the Garden Shoppe, is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and is stocked with many plants, shrubs and trees, including Florida natives. For more information, visit the website at EdisonFord.org.